Classic Ecuador

Day 1 - Day of arrival - Quito

On arrival at Quito Airport (at a height of 2,850 metres/9,350 feet) you will be met by a local bilingual guide who will transfer you to the Patio Andaluz Hotel (26 miles approximately 60 minutes) which is located in the heart of the colonial quarter of Quito.

On the way you will be briefed on the following days’ activities and any questions answered. We have worked with this hotel for many years. It is a charming, historic hotel with 32 rooms. You will be arriving in the late afternoon so do try the bar and restaurant (payable locally) and perhaps wander into the historical centre.

Overnight Hotel Patio Andaluz (Bed & Breakfast)

Quito and Cotopaxi volcano

Day 2 - Quito

After breakfast you will be collected by your guide to embark on your half day tour and the day’s activities. The historic colonial centre of Quito is one of the best preserved in South America. A visit to the enormous Plaza Grande or Independence Square, surrounded by important historical buildings, is followed by a tour around the Compania de Jesus church, dating from the 17th century and considered to be one of the most beautiful baroque churches in South America.

Also on the tour is the San Francisco Church and Monastery, which was built a few months after the arrival of the Spanish Conquistadors in the 16th century, and then on to the enormous statue of the Virgin atop the Panecillo Hill overlooking all of Quito - a truly unique view. The tour will finish with a visit to an artisan chocolate shop for a lesson on chocolate making using Ecuadorian fine aroma cacao. Needless to say, a tasting will follow!

Overnight Hotel Patio Andaluz (Bed & Breakfast)

Basílica del Voto Nacional

Day 3 - Cayambe

After breakfast your guide will collect you from your hotel for a transfer to Cayambe (47 miles/1 hour 45 minutes) for a visit to a rose plantation. This is one of Ecuador’s most important regions for flower production. During the visit guests learn about the cultivation and production of Ecuadorian roses and the preparation for export all over the world.

The greenhouses are enormous and feature roses at different stages of growth. It’s Ecuador’s high altitude, equatorial sunlight and favourable climate which contribute to the ideal conditions for producing large, vibrant and long-lasting roses. Lunch (payable locally) will be en route to the 19th century Cusin Hacienda (14 miles/30 minutes), a 19th century colonial style farmhouse which once belonged to one of the region’s greatest landowners. This is a very gracious, beautifully restored property with a good restaurant where you can have your evening meal (payable locally).

Overnight Hacienda Cusin (Bed & Breakfast)

Rose plantation

Day 4 - Otavalo and Cuicocha

Do eat a hearty breakfast because the visit today is to the world-famous indigenous market of Otavalo (8 miles/20 minutes), the largest in South America. Here you will find a stunning variety of weavings from rugs, mittens and scarves to magnificent ponchos. The seemingly infinite range of colours resemble a rainbow. Here you will also find an enormous range of handicrafts, jewellery and other artisan made items. You are free to wander around the market which is so vast it takes your breath away.

Your guide will recommend a place for lunch which is payable locally. After lunch and a 30-minute drive north of Otavalo your visit will be to the dormant Cuicocha crater lake which last erupted over 3,100 years ago. The crater lies at the foot of the 4,968 (16,299 feet) metre high Cotacachi volcano. The lake has two central islands. There is an observation deck from which the views over the lake and the islands are serene. The last stop of the day is to the renowned leather craft village of Cotacachi. Our chairman who first visited the area in the mid-1990s still treasures a leather bag he purchased in the market there.

Overnight Hacienda Cusin (Bed & Breakfast)

Cuicocha crater lake

Day 5 - Avenue of the Volcanoes

After breakfast the day starts with a visit to the Angla community to give an insight into their everyday life. They will outline their traditions and you will also share in a natural healing ritual called Andean ‘Chakana’ which merges traditional indigenous and religious beliefs. The community, through traditional beverages, ancestral energy cleansing rituals and traditional lunch (included), will help you experience the peace generated through being surrounded by the majestic Imbabura Volcano (4,609 metres/15,121 feet) and the stunning San Pablo Lake.

Your journey then continues south along the Panamerican Highway and Avenue of the Volcanoes to reach the spectacular Cotopaxi Volcano, at 5,897 metres/19,347 ft one of the highest active snow-capped volcanoes in the world. The Volcano is set in the Cotopaxi National Park covering 129 square miles and home to wolves, bears and pumas. Dinner (payable locally), will be at the magnificent Hacienda La Cienega. Built in 1695 by the Marquis of Maenza, the hacienda still belongs to his descendants today. This 34 bedroomed property is built in the form of a square with a colourful garden in the centre.

Overnight Hacienda La Cienega (Bed & Breakfast)

Avenue of the Volcanoes

Day 6 - Limpiopungo Glacial Lake

A 20-minute drive on a dirt road from the entrance of the Cotopaxi National Park brings you to the Limpiopungo glacial lake set at 3,800 metres/12,467 ft above sea level. The scenery around the lake towards the towering Cotopaxi Volcano is monumental. This is one of the most magnificent panoramas in Ecuador.

A visit to the nearby small town of San Felipe provides the opportunity to learn about the traditional Machica flour made from ground, roasted barley or other grains. The flour is commonly used in Ecuadorian cuisine to enrich the flavour and texture of drinks. The mill here is over 100 years old.

Overnight Hacienda La Cienega (Bed & Breakfast)

Limpiopungo Glacial Lake

Day 7 - Chimborazo

Today sees an early start, driving south along the Avenue of the Volcanoes through spectacular scenery towards the Chimborazo Wildlife Reserve and the Chimborazo Volcano at 6,310 metres/20,702 ft the highest mountain in Ecuador. The peak of Mount Chimborazo is the furthest point from the Earth’s centre due to the planet’s equatorial bulge. The parking lot is at 4,800 metres/15,748 ft and even at this height many will experience altitude sickness. A hike, for those that can stand the altitude, can be undertaken to reach the second refuge which is at 5,000 metres/16,400 ft and from where there is a spectacular view.

There are two more visits: to the Balbanera catholic church, the first catholic place of worship in Ecuador and to the Cajabamba, the original site of the city of Riobamba. Dinner (payable locally) is at the simple and homely 32 room Hotel Hacienda Abraspungo set in large, well-tended grounds. Built in ‘mestizo’ style, this property is typical of those to be found in the Ecuadorian countryside.

Overnight at the Hotel Hacienda Abraspungo (Bed & Breakfast)

Chimborazo

Day 8 - Cuenca

After breakfast there is a long drive (119 miles/3 hours 30 minutes) south along the Avenue of The Volcanoes to the archaeological site of Ingapirca. This is the best-preserved Inca site in Ecuador as well as being a very important Pre-Colombian site. Ingapirca was considered to be one of the crown jewels of the Inca Empire and its Temple of the Sun comes to life every June during the summer solstice. This visit is an iconic part of every journey to Ecuador.

From Ingapairca it is further one hour and 40-minute drive to the historic southern city of Cuenca and for dinner (payable locally) and your overnight stay in the gracious Boutique Hotel Santa Lucia. Once a house belonging to one of the region’s most important families, this 19th century building is a good example of the architectural style of that century.

Overnight at the Santa Lucia Boutique Hotel (Bed & Breakfast)

Cuenca

Day 9 - Cuenca city tour

The Cuenca City Tour begins with a visit to the city’s historic centre. There will be visits to the church of San Sebastian and the surrounding picturesque neighbourhood, the Modern Art Museum, Calderon City Park, the Flower Plaza, the Del Carmen church, the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (one of the largest churches in Latin America) and El Sagrario Cathedral, the first to be built in the city.

After lunch (payable locally\) there will be a visit to the hat museum to learn about one of Ecuador’s most important products - The Panama Hat. There will also be a visit to the’ El Barranco’ of the Tomebamba River, a scenic cliffside and linear park that separates the historic colonial centre from the modern part of the city. The tour will finish at the ‘Turi’ viewpoint, where the landscape of a valley of red roofs and church domes is framed by imposing mountains. There will be time in Cuenca, a beautiful city and a centre of art and culture, for shopping, particularly for silver and gold jewellery. Cuenca was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1999 and the Spanish style architecture in the old town district adds to the beauty of this well-preserved city.

Overnight at the Santa Lucia Boutique Hotel (Bed & Breakfast)

Gothic cathedral, Cuenca

Day 10 - Day of departure

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight home.